Thrice In A Lifetime
by Wicked R
Summary: the Angel of Death asks the Charmed Ones for their help. Bit more nicely this time.


Title: Thrice In A Lifetime

Author: Wicked R

Disclaimers: characters and the universe belong to the WB. Doesn't matter, I'd only want Cole to be mine anyway.

Rating: R.

Genre: Supernatural/General.

Set: season 7, after "Once In A Blue Moon".

Summary: the Angel of Death asks the Charmed Ones for their help. Bit more nicely this time.

Pairing: A/Prue, Grams/o.

Piper put baby Christopher down in his Moses basket in the living room. The little boy was asleep again after his mid morning feed and now she could concentrate on cleaning up the amazing amount of mess that a one and a half year old could cause with a simple spoon, a plate and a little bit of corn flakes. But the annoyance over the continuous cleaning up was nothing compared to the displeasure she experienced when she returned to the living room after putting the wash cloth down in the kitchen, "oh, no, no, no," she addressed the Angel of Death, "not you again! What do you want now? Don't tell me there are other hold ups on your list and you gonna make me help you catch up."

"There is a hold up," the Angel of Death said evenly, "but I wouldn't be able to expose my will on you. People die, but their souls seem to be trapped in the dead bodies. But I did come to ask your help, although it's practically up to you at the moment if you will help or not. Let me remind you however that sooner or later my problem will become you…"

"All right, all right," Piper snapped at him, "what do you want?"

"This kinda thing happened before. Looks like the handiwork of a demon called Druj Nasu. She was put in chains on Mount Demavand, but she sometimes breaks loose from her bonds and returns to disturb creation. This demon can be driven away by specific holy spells, which I don't remember."

"You don't expect us to know them do you?"

"No, I need you to contact somebody from the other side who does."

"Why don't you contact them yourself."

"I guide people to the other side, not talk to them after they are there. I need you to contact my brother, Sraosha. He is Druj's greatest opponent."

"We are only usually able to contact family members from the other side, and that not always either."

"Well, yeah."

"What do you mean? Your brother is our family member? We are related to death? Well, that's nice."

"No. But you could be, or you will be soon," the Angel of Death grimaced, "because instead of watching over the dead, my dear brother is so tied up flirting with your Grams, that he didn't even notice what's happening on earth."

"Ha! Grams with a demon! Does she know about all this? I bet she doesn't."

"Sraosha was originally the leader of the Dryvants, or storm-fiends, but was later removed to help me. He was too much of a weak leader, as he was conceived partly demonic and partly human."

"You know what? Now I want to speak with Grams!"

"Thought you would," he disappeared, leaving the work to Piper again.

"Here these words," Piper wasted no time, put candles down in a circle and started chanting, "hear my cry,  
Spirit of the other side.  
Come to me I summon thee.  
Cross now the great divide."

There was a swirl of bright lights and Piper already had her incensed questions ready, but what she saw made her speechless.

The half transparent figure of Cole looked around with uncertainty, "what? Why you summon me? What do you want from me?"

"Um…well…I wasn't."

"So can I go back now? Before Phoebe comes in or anything?"

"She won't. She's at work. Besides, you can't leave until the spell plays itself out. I wanted to call upon Grams to ask her about…something. Do you have any idea why she didn't she come?

"Well…I think she's busy."

"You think? You met her?"

"Of course I met her. Quite recently actually. She was pissed about you summoning her down for Christopher's wiccaning when she was in the middle of flirting with somebody, so she cast the spell that stops you ordering her down unexpectedly."

"The spell? What spell? I can't believe this!" Piper was fuming. Sounded pretty much like Grams actually. The one that always pretended to know everything. She hated it when she acted so superciliously.

"The spell that I should use from now on as well," Cole sighed, "same spell that keeps your mom and Prue from coming."

"Prue? You meet Prue too? Of course you meet Prue."

"Oh, don't be angry with her. It's still too soon for her. She's not sure if she'd be able to handle coming down here. Speaking of…"

"But she's ok, right?"

"She's with Andy."

"I still don't understand how is it that you came."

"Spells would be answered by the next available option, right? I'm next in line for your available option. But you need to tell me what you wanted to ask your Grams, so we can get over with it," he stepped out of the candle circle and became corporeal.

"Have you heard of Sraosha?"

"Big handsome, burly man and obviously enjoying sharing endless stories with your Grams on top of various mountains?"

"Thaanks…I was thinking more along the lines of Sraosha, brother of the Angel of Death. Souls can't ascend because he's not doing his job."

"Oh, is that it? I'll just tell him to get his ass down here," Cole stepped back into the circle, ready to leave.

"Just one more thing," Piper tried to stop him, "what are you doing up there? I thought that was heaven or something like that Grams and the others were coming back from."

"Heaven? No. It's hard to get into heaven. Not even an angel measures up. You know yourself…it's purgatory and I deserve a place there. And what am I doing? I'm waiting. Not that I'm in any hurry or something, but one day, Phoebe will not just join me, but she'll understand everything too. But don't tell her about me. I want her to live her life fully. Until then, good luck, Piper," the sparkles faded after him.

The End.

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End file.
